Baby Lips Loves NY! + giveaway!

Maybelline has revamped their popular Baby Lips lip balm to celebrate fashion. I am a firm believer in fashion and beauty being close relations, and despite being fashionably challenged I was drawn to the new design like a moth to a flame.

The Protecting Berry scent is nice and fruity, and fans of general berry scents should be happy with it. The taste isn't very yummy, which I like at the moment as it means I won't lick all the goodness off of my lips. It claims 8hr moisture but I reapply more often than that, as this is the kind of balm that works really well under a lipstick.

Adore that this balm has SPF20 yet feels light on the lips, ever since my Thai holiday I'm upping the ante with products containing SPF. My skin is enough of a pain without adding sun damage into the mix!

The tube design is bold and stands out in pink,white and black, which makes a nice contrast to the super bright packaging of the regular line of balms. The print is on the plastic itself which means it can't peel off or fade, which may seem insignificant but really does matter when cuteness is a deciding factor in your purchase.

My future mother-in-law was entranced by this design and even slipped out of a pre-wedding mani to dash to Priceline to pick it up when I showed her my tube (no, it wasn't my wedding, I'm not that organised haha) The Protecting Berry scent is probably my favourite out of the bunch, and with the gorgeous design I think this is a must-have for any beauty or fashion lover.

 Maybelline Baby Lips balms retail for $3.95 AUD and are available at Priceline, department stores, pharmacies and supermarkets nationally. This is said to be a limited release only available for the month of February but everywhere I've checked still have shelves full.

GIVEAWAY!

If you would like to win a Protecting Berry scented Baby Lips Loves NY limited edition balm just be a follower of this blog and leave a comment below sharing with me your idea for a lip balm flavour/scent! It can be one that already exists that you think is awesome, or a totally new idea :D The one that makes me drool the most will get sent a brand new balm (still in packaging) This is open worldwide, and please leave your email in your comment so I can get a hold of you if you win. This giveaway will close at midnight next Friday the 23rd of March (AEST)

Good luck!

*These prodocts were purchased by me with my own moolah. Maybelline are not sponsoring this giveaway. Honesty, always.

Jack Black Lip Balm in Vanilla & Lavender

I had seen US bloggers raving about the Jack Black balms for a long time, and had always wondered what the fuss was about. While perusing Strawberrynet a while ago, I saw that these were going for less than $10 and knew I had to give one a go. I chose Vanilla and Lavender, as I was intrigued by the idea of lavender in cosmetics. Would it be 'nanna-esque', overwhelming, horrid? I'd heard people disliked the scent, saying it was far too strong, but it was LOVE at first sniff for me!

The balm comes in a sophisticated royal blue squeezy tube, contains spf25 and is cruelty free.It's quite thick for a balm, and I found that it keeps the lips moist with that 'wet' feel I love for ages. After that wears away, you are left with super-soft lips. I found it wears nicely over lipsticks, but not under, and provides a nice glowy sheen that makes it beautiful to wear on its own.

=)
-moisturising and long-lasting
-cruelty free and spf25
-amazing smell that I LOVE
-stunning packaging that stands out in my make-up bag
-slanted applicator tip which means I can apply to finger then lips rather than straight to lips if needed (as I did when I had a cold last week, to prevent the spread of germs)

=(
-not readily available in Australia
-not suitable under lipsticks as it is thick and glossy
-that is all I can really think of

I adore this lip balm, and have used a fair bit of it since puchasing. I am interested in trying the other scents that this comes in, but I know I will repurchase vanilla and lavender over and over A big win for me, I think this may become a HG!

emmabovary xx

Lip Balm Love-Softlips

Happy Valentine's Day =D Today marks the end of my Lip Balm Love Week- I hope all the lovely ladies reading this have got their lips ready for today, whether you be kissing a cute guy or the spoon as you dip into a tub of ice-cream (my vote is for cookies and cream, btw)

I have been roadtesting quite a few balms this week, but found I always came back to my HG, ultimate, cannot-leave-the-house-without balm, Softlips!

The lovely Zoe from Softlips kindly sent me a tube of their new Chai Latte flavour from the organic range they are promoting, and she also threw in a double pack containing Cherry and Coconut Cream. I am coco-crazy for the Coconut one, but the Cherry grew on me as time went on,too. I like the chai stick, but found the scent to be very faint, if ever I caught a whiff at all. Since trying these I have purchased the Raspberry one and the Gelato vanilla, too. Utterly obsessed, and talking everyone I know into buying these.(FYI, you can get these at most Pricelines and supermarkets, and you get change from $4. Win!)

Packaging: As I stated in my Burt's Bees post, I love skinny balm tubes. These fit in my pocket when I'm out without hassle, and though they balm itself begins quite square after a few uses it rounds itself out and is the perfect shape to use.

Taste: Little bit sweet, but not that crazy-sweet artifical type that makes you want to eat your lips off.

Smell: Apart from the subtle scent of the Chai variety, these really do smell like their descriptions! Coconut Cream would be my pick for summer, but this week I have been rocking Cherry and Raspberry quite a bit.

Texture: So ridiculously smooth to put on, and they make my lips tingle just a little, in a pleasant way. Also must be noted that these contain SPF20, yay!

Aesthetics:Not much shine, just soft lips all the way. I found these great in the mornings, I put some on and get busy with the rest of my makeup. By the time I get to my lips they are supple and primed for whatever colour I'm wearing to glide on effortlessly.

Reapplication: These last really well. The 'wet' feel remains as well as the 'soft' (hence the balms name) which makes these perfect for me.

Repuchase: As you can probably tell from the raving about Softlips above, I have and will repurchase these, again and again and again. Although I did receive 3 free of charge, this in no way affects my opinion and I promise in all honesty, that I think these are the bomb=D

So there we have it, Lip Balm Love Week is over and the overall champ is Softlips. I hope you all enjoyed reading my opinions on all of the lip prodz, it was nice to have themed posts that really spurred me on to compare what I own. Hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day, love to all,emmabovary xx

Lip Balm Love-MOR Lip Delight

I was lucky enough to win a MOR Lip Delight in Rosebud in the Beauty Blogger auction that Hannah from Counter Obsession hosted a few weeks back. I placed bids on a few things, and won a lip pack, donated by Mel from Ampersand Mel. I will be reviewing the other items in the near future, but for now will focus on MOR's lip tin.

Packaging: Absolutely adorable packaging, this balm comes in a sturdy tin that is a beautiful pink colour, and has gold imprints all over the lid. Though not the most hygienic balm method, it does gather 'oohs and ahhs' when you whip it out of your handbag. It must be noted, however, that I often find it hard to get the lid of this baby open.

Taste: Nada, plain and lovely.

Smell: As the name rosebud suggests this has a rose scent, but it's not as traditional as I was expecting it to be. It reminds me of lollies a little bit, too. Great mix! (Mister Christopher would like to add that he thinks it smells like 'a flower from Grandma's garden'. Very eloquent=))

Texture: Lightweight and smooth, I have to apply a few layers to get that 'wet' feeling.

Aesthetics: Doesn't give any shine to the lips, but makes them appear really smooth.

Reapplication: Find I have to reapply every now and again, but as with most of the other balms I reviewed I think this is not that they aren't soft or hydrating, but that I want that 'wet' feel. So if that isn't as big an issue to you, the results for reapplication will be different.

Repurchase: The tin is so stunning that I am planning on buying this for my Mum and sisters, and possibly my bestie, too. Look away if you're reading this, Candice!

Hope all you lovely ladies have a lovely Valentine's whether you are single or shacked up! I will be reviewing my favourite lip product tomorrow, and sharing some of my favourite Valentine's themed things, too.

Love, emmabovary xx

Lip Balm Love-Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer

Am a fan of Burt's Bees as a brand, and was properly introduced to them via the Liptember promotion they held last September. They placed stands with their Rhubard lip shimmers at Priceline checkouts, and for a ten dollar donation you could get one with all proceeds going towards The Royal Women's Hospital.I loved the idea of it all, so threw one in with my haul that day. Fell in love, hard.

Packaging: Skinny yellow and red tube. Love that it's tall and slim as it fits so well if I'm going out and only have a small bag, and takes up less room in my makeup stash in my everyday handbag. Perfecto!

Taste: From most of the Burt's Bees range I get a little 'organic' taste..I know this is not a technical term, but hope you all know what I refer to when I say this. Not offensive in the slightest in this product.

Smell: None of that smell that the Burt's Bees balm I reviewed the other day has, which I'm happy with.

Texture: Silky, but the shimmer particles make it a little more gritty. This makes it stick to my lips a lot better, but is not too gritty as to make it uncomfortable. Absolutely LOVE the feeling of this balm, so nourishing and is like a treatment and lip colour in one!

Aesthetics: A stunning shimmery berry-ish colour, I think the name Rhubarb sums it up really well as it is unique and darker than your 'strawberry' sort of shades. Not too sparkly, makes lips look super healthy and gives enough colour to wear all by itself.

Reapplication: Lasts for ages and ages on me, and is a lip product that I rely on for this.

Repurchase:As my raving would suggest, this is a HG product for me. I would repurchase till the cows came home, and want you to try this for yourself!

Lip Balm Love-Nivea Fruity Shine Cherry

Bought this as I had heard so much about it being a 'cult' balm, and that the cherry version was the bomb. With raves like that, how could I not!

Packaging: 4.8 gram tube, white base with red cap. Case has subtle sparkles running throughout, the only thing that puts me off the packaging of this is that I find the lip falls off in my handbag=(

Smell: Faint cherry smell that isn't overpowering in the tube or on the lips. Lovely!

Taste: Nothing offensive here either, doesn't taste like anything which I like.

Texture:Silky and super slippery. Slipperiest balm I own, actually. Quite moisturising, but not my HG if my smackers are chapped and painful.

Aesthetics: Gorgeous sheer red sheen that is great to wear on it's own (would be great for Valentine's day!) Subtle shimmer runs through this.

Reapplication: Quite long lasting, and because it stays slippery my need for the 'wet' feel on my lips is satiated.

Repurchase: I think it will take me quite a while to get thru this tube, and

emmabovary xx

Lip Balm Love-Burt's Bees Lip Balm

Burt's Bees lipbalm claims to be soothing, nourishing, hydrating and replenishing. I have to say that it does tick these boxes, and is a super hydrating balm.

Packaging-4.25g tube, yellow case and red lid. Covered in writing and two cute little bees=) Not the sleekest design but cute and easy to find in the handbag.

Smell- I can't quite put my finger on the smell of this, but it's 'organic-y', if that makes sense. I'm not a fan of the smell, as it's evident while on the lips as well as in the tube.

Taste-No real taste, just a feeling that's linked with the smell of it when on the mouth.

Texture-Super soft but sticks to the lips well. Feels like it's really penetrating my lips, thank heavens, as many balms neglect to do this.

Aesthetics-No shine or shimmer, would be good to use under a lippy.

Reapplication-Softness lasts quite a while on me, but doesn't stay wet on the lips for as long. You have to push down super hard when applying as the stick is pretty sold, which is a tad annoying.

Repurchase-While I love how smooth this makes my lips feel both short and long term, the smell turns me off. I'm interested to check out the other Burt's Bees range of balms, but if the smell is consistent throughout I will just use this one and deal with it.

emmabovary xx

Lip Balm Love-Blistex Strawberry Lip Balm

Have had this for so long and find that while I don't use it regularly, when my lips are aching it does help.

Packaging:'Regular' sized tube, amount not specified on tube, deep pink colouring with white accents. Not the most exciting packaging, but it's nice.

Smell:To me, it smells like those bubblegum's tape I used to get as a kid, where you wind it out from a round container. Awesome.

Taste: Super-sweet! Problem with this is I'm constantly licking my lips, and needing to reapply. Doesn't feel great on the tongue, but it's not edible so I should probably just stop eating it...

Texture: You need to apply quite a bit of pressure with this balm, and it feels quite thick once it's on. Feels quite smooth, soothes my lips but sometimes isn't strong enough to take all the pain away.

Aesthetics: Nothing in terms of sheen or shimmer here, it's a good hardy balm that's not made for it's looks but for the job it does. Also worth mentioning that it has an SPF 16.

Reapplication: Can go quite a while in between applications due to it's thick nature (unless you can't resist eating it either..whoops!)

Repurchase: I hadn't realised how long this one had been sitting, and since it contains sunscreen it's going in the bin. Might repurchase...I'm not sure whether or not I am fussier than others when it comes to lip balms but I want perfection. This isn't perfection for me, though it is a good product.

(My 'so close to perfection' lip balm is coming up later in the week.)

emmabovary xx

Lip Balm Love-Nivea Light Kiss

I purchased Nivea Light Kiss on a whim at Priceline, with the idea of a 'light kiss' sounding quite appealing. The product itself,however, is not so appealing. Below I share my thoughts:

Packaging: Shimmery white tub, blue accents,10ML,screw top lid. Cute packaging, but not hygienic when you spend all day sticking your fingers in the tub to reapply.

Smell: A creamy, vanilla-esque scent, quite subtle and not overpowering.

Taste: Horrible. And when I lick my lips my tongue feels strangely numb, in a bad way.

Texture: When swiping this onto my finger it felt super-smooth, but once it hits the lips it balls up. I have to smoosh my lips together over and over to get the product evenly applied. It starts out gritty but once you work it in it smooths and feels silky. I get a cooling sensation from Light Kiss, and it is not sticky at all.

Aesthetics: A milky sheen, unless you've really worked hard to smooth it in with your lips. Once you do, it''s a subtle sheen to your lips that's quite nice.

Reapplication: I have tested and tested and tested this balm, trying my hardest to make it work.It lasts no longer than 3 minutes on me before I am in desperate need of more balm. While my lips are softened due to it's fast absorption, I like more moisturization on the outer layers of my lips and this doesn't provide that. Another things to point out in this category is that the milkyness of Light Kiss makes it hard to apply on the run- I don't want to be stuck with random milky lips, and don't always have access to a mirror when reapplying.

Repurchase: No thanks.

Lip Balm Love Week

Welcome to Lip Balm Love week here at emmabovarybeauty HQ. In order to gets your smackers kissable for your Valentine, some maintenance is necessary. As well as giving your kisser a once over while brushing your teeth, lip products such as balms, glosses and lipsticks are great ways to keep them looking beautiful. Some of the products I will be reviewing in the lead up to the big V day include:

Nivea Light Kiss

Burts's Bees balms and lip shimmers

Softlips

Maybelline's Baby Lips

(among many others)
To fit them all in I may have to post more than once a day, so I hope that doesn't drive you guys nuts, and that you enjoy reading my thoughts on these products.

First up will be Nivea, and will hit the site when I head home from the baptism I am attending tomorrow=)

Hope your weekend is going well!

Love emmabovary xx